Kanpur: Eager to shake off its conservative image, the RSS is looking to attract youngsters into its fold, especially IT professionals and engineers, and has launched a host of measures, including an offer of online membership.

The saffron outfit, which had recently eschewed its traditional attire of khaki shorts in favour of full pants, is also trying to inclucate in youngsters under the age of 18, “values” like “patriotism” and “nationalism” through its “Bal Bharati” and “Bal Gokul” programs.

This will help realise RSS’s dream of a better country, RSS Joint General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said. Similar programs have been started for college students as well.

Hosabale said such measures were being taken as the outfit was embracing modernity and concentrating on “quality improvement” to ensure that the current generation adopts its principles.

Similarly, it is eyeing IT professionals and engineers, and conducting weekly programs meant specifically to help inculcate “social consciousness” in them.

Hosabale, who was here for a key meeting of RSS’s regional pracharaks, said this was being done as they play a big role in the development of the country.

Hosabale said the outfit has asked its swayamsewaks across the country to link up with those who apply for online membership in their respectrive districts, and bring them into the RSS fold.

RSS claims that nearly 47,200 people, a majority of whom are youngsters, have applied for its membership online this year. Last year, the figure was 31,800.